Innocent Love
by Shin Sankai
Summary: Shinomori Aoshi now in his 30's reminices about the past once more as the woman by his side calls out to 'Chi-chan' not to fall in the puddles. AU Meiji Era Times. Past & Present Love.


**Innocent Love**

A man in his 30's walked calmly down the streets of Kyoto dressed in his usual purple outfit, a westernised uniform ensemble. The streets he was walking down were flourishing with business as the rain had stopped earlier this morning and the central part of town was now packed with stalls, locals and visitors from afar.

"Don't fall in the puddles Chi-chan!" A voice beside the tall man voiced as he gazed his semi hidden eyes down at the woman. She was pleasantly adorned in a lavender yukata. She was not a lover of the humid weather of the summer months. It was a little too big for her usual petite size, but these months it had to be for she bulged out in the front because of her pregnant form.

"Hai, Mama!" A cheery little voice not too far in front of them yelled. The young girl waved back at them and was adorned in blue shorts and shirt and with black hair placed back into two plaited pigtails. She was jumping puddles.

This very scene made the man reminisce about a past he would never forget.

XxXxXxXxX

_A young girl hummed a song only she knew as she jumped puddles in the streets of Kyoto. She hopped here and there, her shoes and tabi skimming the puddles, but no water damaged them or the clothes she wore because she was told to be careful._

_Few people thought she could ever be disciplined because of the free spirit she possessed, but others knew that if a certain young man were the one to tell her in a stern voice to old for his young years, then all was not to fear. Makimachi Misao, the young girl currently skipping puddles would do no wrong when requests from her beloved 'Aoshi-sama' were voiced to her by Shinomori Aoshi, the 15 year old Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu himself. _

_The smile on Misao-chan's face was as bright as the sun and with arms horizontally out as she hopped about the damp grounds of the marketplace, she was as light and free as a bird. Nothing was a worry to Misao and instead she embraced the bad days like she did the good days – with a smile. It was the way she'd been brought up, words from her mother telling her to never stop smiling because others depended on that very smile. And so Misao at the age of 4 was still doing that very thing, even if her mother and father were no longer around to see it. She knew, even though she was 4 that her smile was loved by others who didn't know how to smile._

_"Misao-chan slow down or you'll fall over." A young woman around 18 chided the youngster who continuously ran in front of herand several other Kyoto residences as they made their way through the markets._

_"No I won't." The young girl voiced back, numerous couples smiling down at her. She was dressed in blue shorts and shirt, looking very much like a boy but the rose colour in her cheeks, the giggle on her lips and the little plait swishing behind her was evident she was just your typical energetic girl. Misao gazed with big blue eyes, colours as deep as the ocean splashing through them as she went "rushing" past others even though her eye level was merely at the height of adults' knees._

_Skidding to a halt she came across a stall selling yakitori and her smile grew as the food sizzled away, flavours wafting towards her nose._

_"Okon-oneechan, can I have yakitori?" Misao voiced as her ocean orbs gazed about trying to find her "sister" dressed in a lime green kimono in the crowd of people, but couldn't find her. "Okon-oneechan…?" The smile dropped for the first time in a long time as Misao found herself alone, with no money to buy food and her little stomach grumbling. It was high noon and time for a snack but no one was around to help her buy anything and Misao didn't know her way back to the Aoiya either. She hadn't gone out a lot of times, but had begged Okon to go with her to find some herbs and spices for the restaurant and was granted that very wish by her Aoshi-sama._

_"Hey there little girl, are you lost?" Misao shrieked at the creepy voice belonging to the big guy in front of her and she fled the markets, not once looking back as tears weld in her eyes and her little legs carried her far from where she was supposed to be – with Okon and at her side. Coming to a sudden halt Misao collapsed on some stairs to gain her breath while she sniffled loudly, head buried into her updrawn knees._

_"Misao-chan…?" A voice that was boarding on teenager and adult interrupted her sniffles as icy green eyes watched the young girls head shoot up and turn over her shoulder to gaze at the person who had voiced her name, a mix of confusion within it as to why she was here._

_"A-Aoshi-sama!"__ Misao cried and shot to her legs before "barreling" herself into the tall 15 year old, little hands clasping the material of his pants and her head resting against his knees. _

_"Why isn't Misao-chan with Okon?" Came the calm voice of the teenager who had far more responsibility then any normal teenager had and had no problem dealing with it as well._

_"I was scared, so I ran away." Came the muffled and sniffled reply from Misao who was still clutching as tightly as she could to Aoshi._

_"Scared of Okon?" Observing Misao shake her head, Aoshi let out a small sigh and sat down on the stairs and picked Misao up, placing her effortlessly into his lap as he sat Indian style there. "Tell me what frightens you Misao-chan."_

_"I found yakitori and…and I was all alone. Okon-oneechan didn't follow me and I couldn't find her and there was this huge guy and he was scary." Misao was waving her arms around as she voiced this, tears at the corner of her eyes and a pout on her lips._

_"Huge and scary?__ Do you mean like Hyotokko?"_

_"Hyotokko-kun isn't scary, he's big and cuddly!" Misao professed while Aoshi's fingers wiped her tears away. If Misao had of been paying attention instead of looking over Aoshi's shoulder, she would have made out a slight grin on his usually frowning lips at her personal comment on the biggest member of the Oniwabanshuu._

_"What's Aoshi-sama doing at a temple?"_

_"Praying…" Came the straight forward answer from the black haired, high ponytail male._

_"For what?__ Are you sick Aoshi-sama?" Blue orbs went dewy, thick with worry for the 15 year old. Misao was currently clutching her little arms tightly around Aoshi's neck as he stood up and headed down the steps once more and back onto the path which would head into the markets. _

_"No, I'm not ill. In fact I was just praying that Misao-chan would never loose her smile." And the smile came back, bigger and brighter then ever as Misao placed her head onto Aoshi's shoulder and closed her eyes._

_"Daisuki Aoshi-sama!" Came the happy and quite loud reply as the 15 year old passed numerous pedestrians who were smiling his way at the profession of innocent love from the young girl, but of course Aoshi remained his ever infamous stoic self._

_"Misao-chan!__ Aoshi-sama you found her thank goodness." Came the relieved voice of Okon who was carrying a basket of herbs and spices as well as a small box of confectioneries. _

_"Mou Misao-chan, you had me worried. Don't keep wondering off on me or I won't take you to the markets again." Okon complained as she fell instep with Aoshi._

_"I don't want to go with Okon-oneechan anymore. Aoshi-sama will take me ne?" With big blue orbs sparkling directly into his view there was no way the 15 year old could say no to her._

_"Aa…"_

_"Mou, Aoshi-sama, show some restraint like you do with everything else will you?" Okon 'sisterly' remarked as she nudged the stoic young man, while Aoshi paid no attention to her and instead lifted Misao onto his shoulders so she could see even further over the crowd. She had been crawling up there anyway, so he made it easier for her._

_"Demo, Aoshi-sama loves me, so we'll always do everything together, ne Aoshi-sama?" Misao lifted his head making the young man stop in his tracks lest he plow straight into someone thanks to his long quick strides and when green met blue, innocent love mixed for the first time._

_"Aa…" Came the soft whisper as Misao happily planted a sloppy kiss on his forehead before letting his face go and began to play with his ponytail._

_A laugh came from the side of Aoshi as the three Oniwabanshuu members headed out of the crowd and back towards the Aoiya._

_"She's only 4 and she has you wrapped around her little finger, you're doomed now Aoshi-sama." Okon merrily voiced before sighing wistfully. "Young love is so precious, you must cherish this moment Aoshi-sama." _

_They headed into the Aoiya with nothing more said about the moment as Aoshi placed Misao back onto her own two feet and headed upstairs to finalise the last of his paperwork. He'd be leaving the Aoiya and Kyoto very soon._

XxXxXxXxX

"Aoshi-anata, are you even listening to me?" Stopping in his tracks, icy green eyes turned there attention to gaze down at the very ocean blue orbs that had not changed from years ago. Her eyebrows were furrowed in slight annoyance, but her eyes suddenly grew wide when a fingerless gloved hand brushed the side of her pale cheek. "A-Anata, we are in public." Came the surprised whisper as blue orbs darted about to see if anyone was paying attention to them and the loving caress which was supposed to be saved for private moments.

"Aa…" Came the deep whisper from Aoshi as he continued on walking, his hand now dropping from his wife, Misao's, face to place it at the small of her back to guide her along their way. They had to keep up their pace because a certain young girl was rushing on ahead of them.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Momichi running in puddles reminded me of you, but also something that Okon said long ago."

"She said a lot of things, so what was it?"

"Being wrapped around a certain 4 years finger I believe." Aoshi's shoulders lost there usual tension he had, thinking that someone would try to attack him or his family even though it was the Meiji Era, when Misao let out a hearty carefree laugh. Her still free spirited nature and innocent undying love for him was present to this very day. He had seen her smile drop many times over the years he had returned to the Aoiya, but these days he hoped to repay most of her tears and frowns with remaining by her side and hopefully making Misao happy. Everytime she smiled he knew there was nothing to fear.

"I remember that too. Although your not as subdued with freely giving me my way these days and in fact are quite stubborn with me. Instead I'd have to say you've been wrapped around someone else's finger instead." Misao mockingly joked before their attention was stolen by the very little girl, running on ahead of them, who was the spitting image of Aoshi.

"Otosan, hurry, the yakitori is almost all gone!"

"Mm, better hurry _otosan_ your daughter is rather impatient when it comes to food."

"Just like her mother." Aoshi picked up his pace as he made his way through the parting crowd and bought some yakitori before handing one of the skewers to Momichi and was quickly graced with a smile that was inherited from her mother.

"Daisuki otosan!" She chirped happily before he took her unoccupied hand silently into his own and made their way back to Misao who was quietly observing them. They had only made this trip into the markets because Aoshi had promised yakitori to Momichi. Silently handing Misao the remaining wrapped yakitori, he waited for her to place it into her left hand before he calmly engulfed her right with his own hand and guided the two females in his life back home.

Aoshi had certainly been caught just like Okon had voiced years ago. He had cherished those moments just like Okon had stayed while on his rampage for the title of the strongest, but now that he was back, Aoshi knew (though it was quite uncharacteristic of him) that he wasn't ever going to escape from _his_ family.

Innocent love had quite the power over him.

Xx The End xX


End file.
